Someone Like You
by iamkellylouise
Summary: Almost 6 years before she arrived in Seattle Meredith left the man she loved with something special of his, not knowing what other links to him she would soon have. AU S1 and S2. OneShot.


**A/N: Set in an AU S1/2 and specifically 2x18, it's pretty self-explanatory! Had this half written for months, couldn't get an ending I was happy with! Reviews please :)**

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><p><em>Someone Like You<br>__~x~_

"Good morning baby girl" Meredith smiled sitting on the edge of the bed of her 5 year old daughter Emily Madeline Grey.

"Morning Mommy" Emily yawned.

"You're going to have to spend the day at daycare today sweetie, Mommy's been called in to work"

"That's ok" Emily sighed "I make friends there Mommy"

"You do? That's good" Meredith smiled.

"Can I see Derek today?"

"We're not seeing Derek anymore remember?" Meredith sighed.

"I know but, he was fun" Emily pouted.

"Is Mommy not fun?"

"Mommy is fun" Emily said hugging her "I love you Mommy"

"I love you too sweetie" Meredith said kissing the top of her head.

~x~

"Good morning Dr Grey" Addison smiled as herself and Derek caught up with her and Emily on the way into the hospital "Emily" she smiled.

"Hi" Emily said quietly "Derek?"

"Yes Emily?"

"Why can't I see you anymore?"

"Emily" Meredith said firmly "We've talked about this, come on, we have to get you to daycare or Mommy will be late"

"But…."

"Emily" Meredith sighed.

"Meredith" Derek said quietly as they all stepped into the elevator "Maybe, maybe I could take her out one weekend or something"

Meredith covered Emily's ears with her hands "You are the only man I have let into her life Derek and you messed it up, guys like you remind me of her manwhore of a father, which is why I never introduce her to anyone I date until I believe it's serious, and then the next minute you have a wife, no offense Addison"

"None taken" Addison murmured.

"I'd really rather her not get attached any more than she is" Meredith finished.

"Mommy" Emily said loudly "Can you let me hear again now?"

"Yes, sorry baby girl" Meredith said removing her hands "Say goodbye to Derek and Addison" she said as they elevator doors opened.

"Goodbye to Derek and Addison" Emily sang as they stepped out.

~x~

Meredith walked alone down one of the hospital hallways in search of her friends, ready to go and have lunch with them, she glanced up a little and spotted the one man she never thought she'd see again, the one man she never wanted to see again, Emily's father, she averted her walk into the nearest room, closing the door hard behind her and closing her eyes.

"Meredith?" Meredith jumped up at the sound of Addison's voice, she opened her eyes and realized she was in the attending locker room.

"Meredith are you ok? You look really pale" Addison said stepping towards her.

"I…." Meredith started "I can't, I can't.." Meredith choked "Oh god, oh my god" she stuttered, her chest started to get tighter, her breathing short and shallow.

"Hey, hey slow down" Addison said rubbing her back "Meredith breathe"

"I, I can't, he, I can't, he can't, I can't" Meredith choked "Oh god"

"Meredith in and out slowly" Addison said softly "What's wrong? What happened?"

"He's here" Meredith whispered.

"Who's here?" Addison asked.

"Emily's father, he's, I just saw him out in the hall, and I don't know why he's here and, he doesn't know about her" Meredith stuttered.

"He doesn't know about her?" Addison said raising her eyebrow, leading Meredith to the sofa and sitting down with her.

"When I left him, we, we'd be together for a year, I was completely in love with him, more than I've ever loved anyone, and he cheated on me" Meredith sighed "More than once, but I was so in love with him, and so young and naive, that I just brushed it off, but then I peed on a stick, I peed on a stick and I just couldn't do that to Emily, I couldn't raise her in that environment, and I feel so, awful for not telling him because even though he hurt me, she's his flesh and blood, god I messed up" she mumbled "I really messed up"

"It's ok" Addison said softly "We all make mistakes Meredith and, you did what any mother does, you tried to protect your child, wh...why do you think he's here?"

"Probably not for me, he's a surgeon so, he's probably in on a case" Meredith sighed, before Addison had a chance to respond Derek was shoved into the room by the Chief.

"What's going on?" Addison exclaimed, standing up as she noticed Derek's bloodied hand.

"He punched a guy" said the Chief.

"What?" Addison gasped.

"Did you know?" Derek snapped.

"Derek? Know what? What are you talking about?" Addison asked quickly.

"My ex-best friend, the man _you_ cheated on me with, is here, wandering around the hospital, flirting with the nurses, did you know that Mark Sloan was coming to Seattle?" he almost yelled.

"Of course I didn't know!" Addison exclaimed.

"Wait wait wait" Meredith said quickly, standing up from the sofa "What was his name?"

"Mark Sloan" Addison muttered.

"No, no no no" Meredith said with a nervous laugh "No that can't be his name, that can't, no way, it's not possible"

"Oh no" Addison said with a gasp "He's not, he's not, _him_ is he?"

"Yeah" Meredith nodded "Oh my god"

"What? What's going on?" Derek asked "Meredith why are you even in here?"

"I saw someone" Meredith replied "Someone I didn't want to see me, someone who got me pregnant 5 years and 11 months ago, someone, named Mark Sloan" she finished with a breath.

"Is that some kind of joke?" Derek exclaimed.

"Of course it's not a joke!" Meredith snapped "Oh god he's going to kill me" Meredith said with a sigh "I have to tell him now right? About Emily, I should tell him"

"Yeah, you probably should" Addison said softly.

"You mean he doesn't know?" asked the Chief.

"No, he doesn't, he cheated on me throughout pretty much our whole relationship, I didn't want that for Em" Meredith said quietly.

"Well at least someone has some sense in this place" Derek muttered.

"Not helping" Addison hissed.

"Chief, where is he?" Meredith asked.

"X-Ray viewing room 1, be careful Meredith"

"I will" Meredith said rushing out of the room.

"This is actually unbelievable" Derek sighed.

"Tell me about it" Addison mumbled.

~x~

"Alex, out" Meredith said as she walked into the X-Ray viewing room.

"Mer wha…."

"Get out Alex" she hissed.

"Going" he mumbled.

"Mark" Meredith said tightly.

"Oh my god Meredith" Mark said rushing towards her, Meredith held her arms up defensively "Mer?" he said quietly.

"You slept with your best friends wife, seriously Mark?" Meredith exclaimed.

"So you're the lusty intern" Mark smirked.

"That doesn't matter" Meredith said quietly "I guess some people never change, glad to hear you're still a manwhore"

"I might be a manwhore Meredith but I deserved more than a note!" he snapped.

"I deserved more than being cheated on 15 times!" she yelled "I loved you! I loved you and I gave you everything I had and you threw it back in my face! And I'd had enough! I didn't want to raise my…."

"Raise your what Meredith?" Mark asked shakily.

Meredith let out a sigh and put her hand into her pocket, pulling out a small photo "I know I should have told you" Meredith whispered "But I couldn't raise her when all you did was break my heart, I couldn't let her heart get broken too" she said passing him the photo "Her name is Emily Madeline Grey, she's 5 years and 2 months old"

"We have a daughter" Mark said quietly, his eyes never leaving the photograph of Emily "We have a daughter and, and you, you left knowing that, you left knowing you were pregnant with my child?" he exclaimed loudly.

"I'm so sorry" Meredith whimpered "I'm sorry I just, you broke my heart Mark, I've never loved anyone the way I loved you, and you broke my heart" she said with a whisper "And then I found out about girl number lost-count-at-10 and then I peed on a stick and, if it was negative, I probably would've stayed with you, I would've stayed and I would've let you hurt me over and over again, but when it was positive, I couldn't stay in that life, I couldn't let her grow up in that environment, because if you couldn't love me enough to be faithful, then could you really of loved her enough?"

"She is my daughter" Mark said firmly "My flesh and blood Meredith! What were you going to do? Send her to me when she was 18 to tell me herself? Or not tell me at all?"

"I don't know" Meredith sighed "I don't know Mark!" she exclaimed.

"Do I get to meet her?" he asked quietly.

"Let's get one thing straight" Meredith said simply "If I let you into her life…."

"I…" Mark started.

"_If_I let you into her life" Meredith said firmly "You can't walk in and out as you please, you're either there for her or you're not, I may have been out of line not telling you about her, but my reasons, they were good reasons Mark, so you have to promise me, _promise_ me you won't hurt her, she is my life, I would die for that girl, so you're either in this or you're not"

"I'm in" Mark replied "I'm in, of course I'm in, I'm still mad at you though"

"I'm still mad at you too" Meredith said firmly "I couldn't get a sitter today so she's at daycare, usually I get weekends off but they were desperate and Emily actually likes daycare so, I get a lot of help, from my friends, the Chief and his wife look after her a lot, they've known me since I was a baby so they like to help, I try my best anyway, I'm, I'm gonna go talk to the Chief, see if I can get away early, meet me in the lobby in half an hour ok?"

"Ok" Mark nodded.

"And try and make that face look a little cleaner" she said as she backed towards the door "And don't go and start on Derek or Addison"

"I'll be good, I promise"

"Right" Meredith smirked before she finally left.

~x~

"So, the She-Shepherds dirty mistress is your kids Dad" Cristina smirked as herself, Izzie, George and Alex approached Meredith in the hallway as she walked towards the daycare centre.

"Yep" Meredith sighed "Get it out of your systems, the jokes, just go for it"

"We have no jokes" said George "We just want to make sure you're ok?"

"I'm fine" Meredith sighed "I told him about Emily, the Chiefs letting me have the rest of the day off so Emily can meet Mark, who is really mad at me but I understand that, I do, I'm still mad at him for how he treated me and it's been almost 7 years since I left him"

"I still think I should be allowed to kick his ass" said Alex "I don't have to track him down anymore"

"I'd rather my daughter not meet her Dad while he's being beaten half to death by her Uncle Alex" Meredith smirked.

"Do you want any of us to be there?" Izzie asked "When you tell her?"

"No, no I have to do this alone" Meredith breathed "Thank you though"

"Well, we'll leave you to it then" Cristina said squeezing her arm "Good luck" they all gave her hugs before leaving Meredith alone outside the daycare, she approached the daycare leader and asked for Emily to prepare for home, 5 minutes later and Emily ran towards her with a smile.

"Hey baby girl" Meredith smiled "Have you had a good day?"

"Yep" Emily smiled "You're early Mommy"

"I am but I need to talk to you about something Em" Meredith said leading her to the small waiting area across the hall and sitting them down "Emily, do you remember me telling you about how you didn't have a Daddy, that he couldn't be here for us so it was just you and me?"

"Yep, Mommy and Emily, best friends forever and ever"

"Right" Meredith smiled "But you see the thing is Emily, your Daddy, he's here to meet you, he's here Em"

"So I do have a Daddy?"

"You do" Meredith smiled "Do you want to meet him?"

"Yes please Mommy" Emily grinned.

"Ok baby" Meredith smiled, she stood up, took Emily's hand and led them down to the lobby, she approached Mark who was flipping through a magazine.

"Mark" she said quietly.

"Hey" he said looking up to her.

"Emily, this is Mark, your Daddy" Meredith said softly.

"Hi" Emily said shyly.

"Hi Emily" Mark smiled "It's nice to meet you, you're very pretty"

"Thank you" Emily smiled "What happened to your face?" she asked reached out and placing a soft hand near his small cut.

"I uh, I fell over Em but I'm ok"

"Good" Emily smiled "Mommy, can we show Daddy the park?"

"Do you have time?" Meredith asked quietly.

"I have the weekend" Mark said standing up.

"Ok then" Meredith breathed "Well it's just 10 minutes walk so…." she started to walk, Emily still holding her hand, Emily reached out her other hand and held onto Mark's with a huge smile on her face, when they reached the park Emily shot away from them and headed straight for the climbing frame.

"Em be careful" Meredith shouted after her "She's very energetic" she said with a small smirk.

"I can tell" Mark said with a laugh.

"Why are you here Mark?" Meredith asked quietly.

"Honestly? I don't know" he breathed "I guess I wanted to see if Derek still hated me, which obviously he does" he said gesturing to his face "I know I screwed up but, he was not the Derek Shepherd I grew up with when we were all in New York, he was cold and distant and he treated Addison like she was, nothing, he'd send me over to eat the dinners she made for him, for anniversaries and holidays, he'd ask me to check in on her because he had a surgery he just couldn't miss, and we got close, he wasn't my best friend anymore, she was, and she just used to get so upset, she was a mess, and then one night, the night he found us, she just, kissed me, and I should have stopped it, I know that, but I just needed to try and do something to make her feel better, and then we're in bed and the doors opening and Derek's home early for the first time in 2 years and it just, all goes wrong, and I hate myself for it, I really do, I've known him since kindergarten, and I threw it all away for one stupid night"

"He'll come around" Meredith said squeezing his arm "If you've really known each other for that long, he'll come around, he's trying with Addison so he'll try with you, eventually"

"I hope so" Mark sighed.

"I'm really sorry y'know" Meredith said quietly "But you broke my heart, you broke it and I just couldn't…."

"I know" Mark said cutting her off "I know, I messed up, I did love you Meredith, I really did, I just, commitment and me don't go very well"

"Yeah, I learned that the hard way" Meredith said with a whisper.

"I'm so sorry" Mark whispered kissing her temple "This is all my fault, missing out on all of this, this is all my fault"

"Let's just, call a truce, for Emily's sake" Meredith said softly.

"Truce" Mark nodded "I'm gonna, fly back tonight, clear my apartment, get my stuff sent out here, get the practice sold, I'll look at some houses and stuff too…"

"Whoa whoa whoa" Meredith said cutting him off "You don't have to do all that Mark"

"I can't miss out on anymore Meredith, I've missed out on 5 years, 5 birthdays, 5 thanksgivings, 5 christmases, I can't miss out on anymore, I don't have anything to go back there for, not really, but I have something here Mer, I have a daughter here, I can't ignore that"

"She's not staying over with you until I say it's time" Meredith said firmly "And if you want to bring girls home she can't be there, unless it's serious, I made the mistake of letting Derek into her life Mark, I can't do that to her again"

"I know" Mark nodded "I'm not going to let her down Meredith, I promise you"

"We'll see" Meredith said quietly.

"DADDY COME AND PUSH ME!" Emily shouted as she sat on a swing.

"Go on" Meredith said pushing him a little "Go be Daddy" Mark pressed a kiss to her head before running over to Emily and pushing her on the swings.

~x~

"Mommy" Emily said quietly as Meredith put her to bed that night.

"Yeah sweetie?"

"Why haven't I met Daddy before?"

"It's complicated Em" Meredith said softly "But Daddy's going to be here from now on, he's going to move to Seattle for you, so you can see him whenever you want"

"He is?"

"He is" Meredith smiled softly "Night angel, I love you" she said kissing her forehead softly.

"Night Mommy" Emily yawned "I love you too"

~x~

"Hey" Mark smiled approaching Meredith at the nurses station 3 days later.

"Hey, what are you doing here? I didn't think you were coming back for another 2 days"

"Well I finished up earlier than I thought, I found a house online, just went to check it out, it's perfect, they've already accepted my offer, and I just got a job as an attending" he smiled.

"Really? That's great Mark" she smiled.

"I was thinking maybe I could take Emily shopping, I want her bedroom to be how she wants it, I have decorators in, me and decorating don't really go so well"

"I think I have a picture somewhere in the attic of you wrestling with wallpaper" Meredith laughed "I'm sure she'd love too, just don't spoil her too much ok?"

"She's my kid, she's getting everything she wants"

"Mark, I'm serious" Meredith glared "I'm trying to make sure she's not a spoilt brat, I want her to value money"

"I know I know" Mark mumbled "But she can have whatever she wants in her bedroom, I want her to feel comfortable, y'know, when you let her stay over"

"I know" Meredith said softly "Well, is Saturday ok?"

"Saturday's perfect" Mark smiled "I'll pick her up at about 11?"

"Great" Meredith smiled "I'll see you then"

"See you then" Mark nodded.

~x~

"What are you doing here?" Derek asked coldly as he walked into the attendings lounge to find Mark making himself some coffee.

"I work here" Mark said dryly.

"Why?"

"Why?" Mark frowned "Because my daughter lives here, did you really think I was going to find out I had a daughter and just up and leave forever?"

"Well you'll sleep with your best friends wife for no reason so I guess I don't know what you'll do next"

"For no reason?" Mark said with a laugh "Seriously? You think I slept with her for no reason? She was broken Derek! You broke her! Yeah, maybe sleeping with her was wrong but she needed someone, she needed _you_ and you weren't there! You were too busy at your precious hospital to bother to come home to your wife! And it was always me you'd send to tell her! Christmas, Thanksgiving, Birthdays, your anniversary! I was there Derek! Get of your high horse and wake the hell up! I'm not leaving Seattle, I've missed out on 5 years of my daughters life and I'm not missing anymore because you say so, get a grip!"

"You should have told me" Derek said firmly "You should have tried to wake me up Mark! Not sleep with her! How the hell am I supposed to trust you? You are supposed to be my best friend, my brother, please tell me how I'm supposed to forgive you"

"I don't know" Mark said with a sigh "I know I screwed up Derek, I know ok? But, you just need to know that I am _sorry_, I made a mistake, a huge mistake, but you're not perfect, and I really think, I really think I should get a second chance, because I'm willing to give you one, it wasn't just Addie you hurt Derek, you hurt me too, because I am your brother, I've been your brother since before I can remember, and you didn't just abandon Addie, you abandoned me too, I tried to tell you, so many times, we all did, your Mom, your sisters, but you just wouldn't listen, you always had some surgery that was more important, I'm willing to give you another chance, so why are you not willing to give me one?"

"I know I made mistakes" Derek said quietly "But you were my brother, and you betrayed me, and I'm not willing to give you another chance yet"

"Fine" Mark sighed "But you leave me alone, you be civil, you get used to the fact that I'm not going anywhere, I'm going to be a father to my daughter, and I'm going to be good at it, this is my last chance to prove I can be a good guy, you have to let me do that, for Emily's sake"

"For Emily's sake" Derek agreed "Why did you never tell me about her? Meredith?" he asked after a quiet minute "You called me a lot when you were in Boston but, you never mentioned her"

"I knew you wouldn't believe I could be stable, which obviously I couldn't be but, I wanted to believe I could be, I didn't want you to, tell me I couldn't, I wanted to prove myself to you, to all of you, but I just, I messed up just like I always do" he said quietly "I am a little mad at her for not telling me but, I understand why she did it, I hurt her Derek, so much, and I don't think she'll ever forgive me for that"

"She shouldn't" Derek replied "Just like she shouldn't forgive me for what I did to her, she wasn't a slutty mistress like most people have pegged her as, I met her in a bar before her internship started, we slept together, I pursued her, I, let her fall for me, and I fell for her too, and when Addison got here, I told her I was signing the papers, I gave her false hope, but then I couldn't give up on Addie and, I let her down, we both broke her heart"

"I tried to find her, for months after she left I tried to find her, I keep this in my wallet, to try and remind me to be better, but, I guess I can never be better" he said passing Derek a folded up note.

"I never believed in falling in love before you, I guess now I know why I didn't believe, because getting your heart broken is the worst feeling in the world, I hope you have fun with whatever girl you bring home next" Derek read "That's how she left you"

"Yeah" Mark sighed "I got home, all her stuff was gone, and this was on her pillow, she must've been, 2 months pregnant by then"

"She was just trying to protect Emily, all she does is for Emily, she doesn't really let me near her anymore, she's, she's a Mom"

"She's a good Mom" Mark said with a small smile "She's not, the girl I knew, she's a woman, and she's been heart broken way too many times in her life"

"Then don't hurt her again" Derek said softly.

"I won't" Mark agreed "And you can tell me to go to hell but, don't hurt Addison again"

"Goes without saying" Derek nodded.

"Well uh, I should go, I've got a surgery so, I'll see you around Dr Shepherd"

"See you around" Derek said with a small smile.

~x~

**2 months later.**

"Daddy!" Emily grinned, running from Meredith's car to where Mark was stood outside his house, Mark scooped her up in his arms and kissed her cheek.

"Hi baby girl" he smiled "How was kindergarten?"

"Good" Emily nodded "How was your day Daddy?"

"It was good, it's so much better now though" he smiled "You go on in, go watch some TV while I talk to your Mommy ok?"

"Ok" Emily said, running off when he put her down.

"Hi" Meredith smiled as she walked closer to Mark, letting him greet her with a kiss on the cheek, they walked through to the kitchen, Mark poured Meredith a coffee and they sat at the table.

"How was your day off?" Mark asked.

"Good" Meredith smiled "I was lazy for a couple of hours after I dropped Emily off at kindergarten and spent the afternoon helping Izzie bake"

"Which means she baked and you tested everything right?" Mark smirked.

"Of course" Meredith laughed "Here" she said pulling a food bag from her purse "Cookies for you and Em, don't let her eat them all"

"I won't" Mark smiled.

"Well, I should go, I'm meeting Cristina at Joes" she said standing up "I'll call in the morning to say hello but other than that, I'll see you Sunday night"

"Ok" Mark smiled walking her towards the door "Em come and say bye to Mommy"

Emily ran out from the living room and hugged Meredith "Bye Mommy, I love you"

"I love you too sweetie, you be a good girl for Daddy ok? I'll call you in the morning"

"Ok" Emily nodded, she hugged Meredith one more time before running back into the living room.

"Bye" Meredith said kissing Marks cheek.

"Bye" Mark smiled "Have fun"

"I always have fun" Meredith grinned as she walked away.

~x~

"Daddy?" Emily said as Mark tucked her into bed that night.

"What's up Em?" Mark asked softly.

"Do you love my Mommy?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, do you love my Mommy?" she said simply.

"Yeah, yeah I love your Mommy, she gave me you"

"I know that" Emily sighed "I mean, do you love her like, most Daddy's love Mommy's, like, when they get married and have lots of babies, do you love her like that?"

"When we made you, I loved her like that"

"Why did you stop?" Emily asked quietly.

"I didn't" Mark said softly "Not at first, I, I did something bad, before you were born, I did something that upset your Mommy"

"That's why I didn't used to see you? Because you made Mommy sad"

"Yeah" Mark said stroking her cheek a little.

"Did you say sorry?"

"Yeah but, sometimes sorry isn't enough, when you do something really bad"

"What did you do?"

"I can't tell you that sweetie" Mark said kissing her forehead "It doesn't really matter anyway, what matters is, you have a Mommy and Daddy who love you very much"

"I think you still love her" Emily smiled "And I think she still loves you, and I think, you should tell each other and then we can be a proper family, and you can have more babies"

"It's not that simple Emily" Mark said softly "Now come on, less talking, more sleeping" he smiled.

"Okay" Emily said snuggling into the bed a little "Night Daddy, I love you"

"I love you too" Mark smiled kissing her forehead again "Sweet dreams" he tucked her in a little before moving to the doorway and turning off the light, he watched as Emily closed her eyes before leaving completely.

~x~

**2 months later.**

"Ugh, I hate these things" Meredith grumbled as she stood with George at the prom.

"I'm having high school flashbacks" George shuddered.

"Go ask Callie to dance" Meredith said nudging him a little.

"She's mad at me remember?"

"So go ask her to dance" Meredith said with a slight laugh "Go"

"You gonna be ok?"

"Yeah sure, go" Meredith smiled, George kissed her cheek before heading off to find Callie, Meredith stood and watched couples dancing, jumping in shock when she felt a hand on her lower back.

"Sorry" Mark laughed "Didn't mean to scare you"

"Ass" Meredith said hitting him in the chest.

"Dance with me" Mark said holding his hand out.

"Fine" Meredith sighed, she took Mark's hand and let him lead her to the dance floor, Meredith rested one hand on his chest, the other holding his, his other hand came to her lower back and kept her close "You better not even think of lowering that hand Sloan" she smirked when he moved it a little.

"I won't" Mark laughed "How's Emily?"

"Didn't really notice I was leaving, she was too interested in the babysitter" she said with a slight laugh.

"Happy to get rid of you huh?" Mark teased.

"Seems that way" Meredith laughed.

"You look beautiful by the way"

"Thank you" Meredith smiled "You don't look too bad yourself"

"Thought I'd put in a little effort"

"Why? You trying to find a new nurse to sleep with?" Meredith said dryly.

"For your information Meredith Grey I haven't slept with anyone since I got here, at all"

"You've been here for 4 months, how the hell are you still walking?"

"I've been concentrating on being a good Dad" he said quietly.

"Well, you've been doing a great job, seriously" Meredith said softly "Which is why, I want us to change Emily's name"

"What d'you mean?" Mark frowned.

"Emily Madeline Grey-Sloan" Meredith smiled.

"Really?" Mark exclaimed happily.

"Really" Meredith laughed "She's your daughter too, and she loves you"

"I love her too" Mark said softly.

"I know" Meredith smiled.

"Mer" Alex said running straight for her "We need you, it's Izzie"

"What happened?" she asked instantly.

"Denny died" he said quietly.

"Crap, I have to go, wait for me ok?"

"Ok" Mark nodded "Go"

~x~

"So, I had a great time tonight" Mark smiled as he walked Meredith to her front door.

"Me too" Meredith said softly "Well, except for the whole, Denny dying thing"

"Yeah, that sucked" Mark said sadly "Izzie will be ok"

"I should've gone with them" Meredith sighed.

"Mer I can stay with Em if you want to go" Mark said squeezing her hand a little.

"No no I, I promised Emily we'd go to the park tomorrow and I've had to work the last couple of weekends, I need this time with her, they all understand that, I'll call in the morning and go and see them when Em is with you on Sunday"

"If you're sure" Mark smiled.

"I'm sure" Meredith nodded "Why don't you, come in for a coffee, if you want to"

"I'd love too" Mark smiled, they stepped into the house together, Meredith hung up her coat and kicked off her shoes before moving into the living room.

"Hey Jessie" she smiled to the babysitter who was sat watching TV.

"Meredith" Jessie smiled as she stood up "Have fun?"

"Yeah I guess" Meredith smiled back "Thank you for tonight" she said pulling out some money from her purse and handing it to her.

"It's no problem, anytime" Jessie smiled.

"Oh uh, Jessie this is Mark Sloan, Emily's Dad"

"Nice to meet you" Mark said shaking Jessie's hand.

"You have a beautiful daughter" Jessie smiled.

"Thanks" Mark smiled back, Meredith walked Jessie to the front door and said goodbye before turning back to Mark.

"You didn't flirt with her" Meredith said curious "Huh" she shrugged as she walked into her kitchen, Mark smirked at her a little and followed her.

"I told you, I haven't slept with anyone since I got here" he said simply.

"Yeah but, I expected you to still flirt, I mean, you're you"

"Maybe there's only one person I want to flirt with" Mark said moving closer to her.

"Don't be an idiot" Meredith said rolling her eyes a little "We're not doing this"

"Doing what?" he smirked.

"Starting something, it would be, a bad idea, because it wouldn't work out and, we'd get Emily's hopes up, and I'm not doing that to her" she said simply.

"I've changed Meredith" Mark said quietly "You know I have"

"For now, you've changed for now" she sighed "But what happens in a couple of months time when you get bored of sleeping with one woman, what happens when one night, I'm not in the mood so you go out and pick up some slut in a bar, what happens then? Because last time, I walked away, but I can't walk away this time, not now, Emily loves you Mark, you're what every father should be to their daughter, a superhero, the most amazing man they know, so I can't walk away, and I certainly can't let myself be with you to get hurt again, because I've never gotten over what you did to me"

"You have no idea how much I wish I could change what I did Mer" Mark said as he stroked her cheek a little "I wish I could change it, but I can't, but _I_ can change, I have changed, I've changed, and, I love you, I love you so much, please just, give me a chance Meredith, give us a chance"

"I think you should leave" Meredith said with a slight whisper, trying to hold back tears "Please Mark, don't do this to me, don't"

"Tell me you don't love me" Mark said holding her face in his hands "Look me in the eye and tell me you don't love me and I'll walk away, tell me that, say it, say you don't love me"

"Mark" she choked out "Please"

"Tell me you don't love me"

"You know I love you" she whimpered "Of course I love you, which is why I can't do this again, I can't be hurt again, I can't lose you again"

"I'm not going anywhere" he said wrapping his arms around her and holding her closely "I'm not going anywhere, I'm right here, I love you, I'm right here"

"You have to promise me" she sniffled "Promise me you won't hurt me, us, promise you won't hurt us"

"I promise" he said firmly "I promise you"

"And we can't tell Emily yet"

"Mer…" Mark started.

"No" she sniffled "No, we're not telling her yet, I can't do that to her, we need, we need to give it some time, please Mark, you have to understand"

"Ok" he whispered "I understand"

"I love you Mark" she said quietly, reaching up to brush his lips against hers.

"I love you too Mer" he whispered back.

~x~

**2 months later.**

"I give her 10 minutes before she's asleep" Mark said with a soft laugh as he sat down next to Meredith on her sofa, Meredith instantly snuggled into him "That must've been one hell of a birthday party"

"You just wait until her own birthday party, we'll be the one's falling asleep by the end of it" Meredith laughed.

"I can't wait" Mark said kissing the top of her head "I guess I should get going soon"

"Don't" Meredith said squeezing his hand "Stay"

"Meredith" he breathed out "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure" she smiled "It's time"

"I love you" he whispered, kissing her gently "Thank you so much"

"What for?" she frowned.

"For letting me back in" he said softly "For letting me, for letting me be her Dad, for, loving me again after all the hurt I caused you"

"Mark I never stopped loving you" Meredith sighed.

"And I never stopped loving you either" Mark pressed their lips together again, this time a little firmer.

"I knew you still loved her!" Emily said loudly from the doorway, Mark let out a slight laugh and dropped his forehead to Meredith's.

"So much for her being tired" he smirked "Come here Princess" he said waving her over, she walked over and climbed up onto his lap.

"Em, me and your Daddy, we're together now" Meredith said softly "And you're right, we do love each other, and we're going to be, a real family"

"Are you going to live here now Daddy?" Emily asked.

"Maybe one day" he said kissing her temple "Not just yet baby"

"But soon?"

"Soon" he nodded.

"Can I have a baby sister?" Emily asked hopefully.

"Maybe in a couple of years" Meredith chuckled lightly "Now come on, up to bed"

"Will you be here in the morning Daddy?"

"Absolutely Princess" Mark smiled "Now do what you Mom said and get to bed"

"Ok" Emily laughed "Night Mommy, Night Daddy"

"Night baby" Meredith said softly as Emily hugged her tightly, Emily grinned at them a little before going back up to her room.

"Well, that went well" Mark said with a small smirk, Meredith could only laugh and kiss him.

_The End._


End file.
